For cat owners, cleaning puke off the carpet is just par for
the course. Although some cats rarely vomit, some cats are what many vets refer
to as “pukers”. These are the sorts of cats that vomit weekly (or even daily),
despite being healthy. To understand why cats puke, it’s first important to
understand what exactly puke is. When it comes to cats, not all puke is created
equal! The three most common types of feline upchuck are: hairballs,
regurgitation and vomit.

Let’s start with hairballs.
Hairballs are just that…balls (or tubes) of hair that accumulate in the
stomach. We all know that cats are fastidiously clean creatures, and of course
clean themselves using their tongues. The tongue of a cat is barbed, meaning it
has little hooks on it similar to the hooked portion of Velcro. These barbs
catch and pull out the dead hair and debris in the coat while the cat is
cleaning, and the cat ends up swallowing it.

Normally the swallowed hair passes through the body and ends
up in the feces, but sometimes the hair accumulation becomes a little too much.
The only other place for the hair to go is back from where it came, so the cat
ends up vomiting a tube-like blob of hair. Most cats deal with hairballs from time
to time, but if it becomes a frequent occurrence the veterinarian should be
consulted. Though rare, some cats have been known to get an internal blockage
if too much hair accumulates inside. To help avoid hairballs, brush your cat
regularly. There are also products available to help lubricate the digestive
system and allow hairballs to pass in the feces.

Another common type of cat puke is actually regurgitation. This is when your cat
vomits up food shortly after eating, and the food hasn’t even had a chance to
begin digesting. The cat will not wretch prior to regurgitation; it will simply
expel a glob of food from its mouth. Regurgitation happens when food blocks the
esophagus, either because the animal has eaten too quickly or the swallowing
has somehow been interrupted.

Many cats on dry food
diets will experience regurgitation from time to time. One simple way to
prevent it is to raise your cat’s food dish so it must sit on its haunches when
eating. By raising the food dish, the cat will either sit on its rump or stand
up while eating. A food dish sitting directly on the floor means the cat will
usually crouch down to eat. When the cat eats in this position, the cat’s
esophagus must function without the helpful assistance of gravity! As a result,
the food will often accumulate in the esophagus without going all the way down
to the stomach, and the cat regurgitate. Frequent regurgitation can lead to
aspiration of food particles into the lungs and potentially pneumonia.

Some cats are also known to wolf down their food like its
going out of style! This can lead to regurgitation as well. Simple measures can
be taken to slow down the cat’s eating such as using a food ball, feeding the
cat in small quantities several times throughout the day, or simply spreading
the cat’s food out on a cookie sheet so it must eat the kibble piece by piece. If
a cat continues to regurgitate despite raising the food dish or taking measures
to slow down eating, a vet should be consulted to check for complications with
the swallowing mechanism (peristalsis.)

The final most common variety of cat vomit is, well…vomit. This is where the cat wretches
and expels stomach contents including bile and partially digested food. Vomit
can be an indication of many things including sickness, food allergies,
parasites, poisoning, and even eating indigestible things like plastic bags or
rubber bands.

Cats will vomit from time to time; just like humans, they
can become ill and go through short bouts of vomiting or diarrhea. This is
generally not a cause for concern, unless there is blood in the vomit or you
know the cat has gotten into something it shouldn’t (houseplants, chemicals,
balls of yarn, etc.) If you suspect poisoning or ingestion of inedibles, or
notice blood in the vomit, contact a veterinarian immediately. A vet should
also be consulted if the cat vomits incessantly, appears lethargic/weak, or continues to vomit for a
period longer than 8 hours.

Frequent vomiting can also be a sign of serious illnesses
such as kidney and liver disease, diabetes, or an obstruction in the
intestines. When it doubt, it’s always best to check with your veterinarian.